Summoned By Blood
by ShadowX-Over.Writer
Summary: Asbel's life gets turned upside down when he finds out a certain truth that has been hidden from him for eighteen years. Especially when he meets several strange people and a war between humans and monsters starts to break out in the city. Modern AU with characters from other Tales games. Rated T just in case. Several pairings included.
1. The Wielder of Light

I am excited to present this new fic, which I've been working on for months.

**Important Note: **This story is placed in a modern setting AU and is composed of all the worlds from all the Tales Series. Many characters from other Tales games will be making a crossover into this story.

***Another thing I would recommend doing is read my other fic _Childhood: Before the Summon_ first since it's the prologue that leads up to this story.**

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the story idea

**Chapter 1: The Wielder of Light  
**

Asbel let out a sigh. "Man, why does this have to be so hard?"

He felt like his brain was going to explode from looking at all the university options.

"Hm? What's got you so down?"

Asbel glanced over to see a tall, slightly tanned, blonde-haired man walk into the room. Guy Cecil had been with Asbel since arriving in Tethe'alla seven years ago. He's an old friend of Van's and had been given the task to watch over the younger boy as he traveled. Asbel enjoyed his company and the two became fast friends.

"Trying to find a university to apply to." Asbel groaned as he clicked through several different screens on his laptop.

"Well, whichever one you pick you're sure to be admitted as Van will write you a letter of recommendation. Do you have a major in mind?" Guy asked.

Asbel shook his head. "Not a clue."

It had been seven years since Asbel had left Luin. There were times when he missed his old home, but after traveling the world for five years, he found himself slowly getting over it. He was now living in a two-bedroom apartment in Altamira, Tethe'alla. Since he started traveling thanks to Van, he was able to study abroad as well, getting the necessary education. Not many people were able to have an opportunity like this and Asbel was grateful to Van for giving him this chance. Once he entered a junior level of academics, Asbel decided to stay in one place to finish his education.

Unlike students who attended schools regularly, Asbel studied one-on-one with professors all over the world, taught by the best. He was currently finishing up his last year of high school level education while studying to pass the exit exam. When he had time to take a break from studying, he found himself trying to figure out which university he would want to attend. Unfortunately, he didn't know where to start.

"You could apply to more than one university, you know." Guy said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't help if I don't even know what I want to study."

After his Junior level education, Asbel had taken the scholastic assessment test and due to all the tutoring he received was able to score relatively high.

"You're pretty smart, Guy. How come you never went to college?" Asbel asked.

Guy looked at him in surprise before he looked to the side with a serious expression. "Unlike you, I didn't have anyone to pay for my tuition."

Asbel realized his mistake before rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, sorry…"

Guy was orphaned at a young age and had to get by on his own by working several different jobs. Even now, Guy works four to five different part time jobs and Asbel had to admit that some of them were a little strange.

"Nah, it's fine," Guy said, his usual smile returning to his face. "Besides, I'm pretty content with where I'm at right now."

"Really? You're okay with shoveling animal crap at the zoo and cleaning bathrooms for the rest of your life?" Asbel asked.

"Hey, at least I'm getting paid. You on the other hand have yet to earn a cent yourself." Guy shot back.

Asbel couldn't help but chuckle. It was true that he had never worked a day in his life before and the job market was getting more competitive each year. So it would be difficult to find a job without any prior experience.

"Gah! Why does this have to be so difficult?!" Asbel shouted before slamming his head on the table in frustration.

"Welcome to the real world," Guy chuckled as he patted his friend on the back. "You'll figure it all out eventually. Maybe you could ask your folks about it. I mean, I know you haven't spoken to them in a while but…"

"No," Asbel said immediately. "There's really no need to talk to them about this."

'They would only have one answer for me…'

Noticing the shift in the mood, Guy roughly ruffled Asbel's hair.

"H-Hey! Cut it out!"

"Why don't we head over to the dojo and have a spar? While we're at it, get some fresh air to clear that large head of yours." Guy offered with a grin.

"Don't you have work in a couple hours?" Asbel asked.

"I can spare a little time to hang out. Besides, my job is actually closer to the dojo than here."

A small smile crept onto Asbel's face before he let out a sigh. "Thanks."

* * *

The Albane Dojo was a local sword fighting school that originated in a small town not far from Altamira. It had been established by a renowned swordsman by the name of Miguel Albane hundreds of years ago. Despite the school only run for recreational purposes now, it still was a place where boys and girls of all ages could hang out and practice discipline.

Asbel had been going to the school since moving to Altamira after his travels. It was a great stress reliever and Asbel enjoyed his time at the dojo.

"Hah!" Asbel cried as he swung his wooden sword down on Guy.

"Too sloppy!" Guy said as he blocked the blow with a powerful strike from his own wooden sword.

Asbel stumbled a few steps back from the force. However, he quickly recovered and lunged back towards Guy once more.

The two matched several blows. Both clashed swords in the middle of the room, glaring at each other with determined gazes before breaking a part to put some distance between them. They both paused to catch their breath as sweat dripped down from their foreheads.

Someone clapping snapped the two out of their focus. Both glanced over to see the current head of the dojo applauding them with a content grin on his face.

"You both show remarkable swordsmanship considering you two have only been attending this school for two years. I'm rather impressed." Malik Caesars said.

"I can't take all the credit, sir. It's thanks to your great instruction that I was able to achieve such standards." Asbel said with a bow.

"I've actually trained in swordsmanship under another instructor before, so I'm actually familiar with the basics." Guy admitted.

Malik chuckled. "Heh, I had a feeling that was the case considering you seemed very comfortable with a sword when you first entered."

The comment caused Guy to rub the back of his head with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Guess I have to train more if I want to reach the same level as you." Asbel remarked as he tossed Guy a towel. He nodded a thanks and wiped the sweat from his face with it.

"Give yourself more credit, Asbel," Malik said. "You're also pretty skilled with a sword yourself. Have you taken any lessons prior to joining this school?"

Asbel shook his head. "No, but when I was a kid, I used to swing this wooden sword around from time-to-time. Though I think at the time I only did it to look cool."

Malik couldn't help but chuckle and patted Asbel on the shoulder. "You've got talent. Keep up the good work."

A smile spread across Asbel's face before he gave a grateful bow. "Thank you for the advice."

"You really are amazing, Guy," Rondoline, another student commented. She came over to Guy's side and smiled. "You have to show me some of your techniques some time."

A frightened yelp escaped from Guy's mouth before he frantically scrambled to the opposite side of the dojo. Rondoline erupted into laughter as Asbel let out a sigh. Guy suffers from gynophobia, which was a fear of physical contact with women. Whenever a girl would get even a foot near him, Guy would reflexively flinch or scamper away in fear.

"Boy, you need to have vigor and determination when facing a woman." Malik chided.

"It's not that simple!" Guy cried.

He glanced down at his watch before his eyes widened in surprise. "Shoot! My job starts in less than ten minutes!"

Guy quickly gathered his things and bolted over to the door. "Hey Asbel! Do you mind bringing my sword back to the apartment?"

"Yeah, no problem." Asbel answered as Guy called out a thanks over his shoulder before rushing out of the room.

"Hm? Where is he off to this time?" Rondoline asked.

"Oh? Interested are we?" Malik smirked.

Rondoline's smile didn't fade as she struck the man in the abdomen with her elbow. Malik let out a pained groan before clutching his stomach.

"He's got a job at the convenience store next to the gas station," Asbel said. He packed away his towel in his bag and slipped on his hooded sweatshirt.

"Thanks again for allowing us to use the dojo, Mr. Malik, sir."

"Please, for the umpteenth time, just call me Malik. Being called 'mister' and 'sir' makes me feel old."

Asbel chuckled as he slung the bag over his shoulder.

"Right, I'll see you guys later."

* * *

On top of one of the tall buildings, a boy with a jet-black scarf wrapped around his neck looked down over the city. He stepped onto the ledge and peered down at the busy streets below.

His ruby red eyes narrowed. 'They're all worthless…'

He jumped down roof-to-roof before coming to rest on the roof of a small store, hidden from view in the shadows.

As he scanned the crowds, he spotted a familiar face. His eyes shone surprise for a brief moment before a devilish grin spread across his face.

"Well, well, what do you know…"

* * *

As Asbel walked down the busy streets of Altamira, his thoughts wandered back to Luin.

'Has it really been seven years?' Asbel wondered.

So many things had changed. Traveling the world was better than he had imagined and he was able to learn a lot. His hairstyle had even changed. Instead of the bed head look he sported when he was a kid, he pulled it back with a hair band. It helped keep his bangs out of his face when he was practicing at the dojo along with his other work.

He wondered how his parents were doing. Despite having learned that they were only using them as a puppet to run the company, he still worried about them. Did they even care if he was gone?

Asbel plucked his hair band off his head and ran a hand through his hair. Remembering his parents was always a sour spot for the redhead.

He had tried to get into contact with Hubert by sending him letters. However, he never got a response. Hubert was always such a timid, shy boy and Asbel wondered if he was doing all right in Strahta.

A howl suddenly erupted not too far away, snapping Asbel out of his thoughts.

Asbel immediately froze. The image of the icy wolf suddenly came to mind, causing him to break out in cold sweat.

'No…There's no way that thing is here…' Asbel told himself. He swallowed the large lump in his throat as his body started to tremble uncontrollably.

The memory of the wolf attacking him and Cheria played clearly in his mind, showing him the results of his mistake over and over again.

He squeezed his hands together, desperately trying to calm himself.

'It's just a dog…it's just a dog…'

Without warning, a giant dog-like creature jumped out of the bushes and onto the pavement before him.

The monster had a thick black main with gray fur and glowing golden eyes. It wasn't as big as the ice wolf, but it was still bigger than the average dog, coming up to about Asbel's shoulder.

"W-What the hell is that?!" Asbel cried.

The creature snarled before it lunged at the young man.

Reacting quickly, Asbel turned around and ran as fast as he could. He heard the monster snarl behind him and gave chase.

Sweat beaded his forehead as he darted around a corner, desperately trying to give the monster the slip.

A gasp escaped from Asbel's mouth when he hit a dead end after running down an alley. He whirled around to see the monster had not lost his trail.

The monster let out a roar before launching itself at the boy.

Asbel quickly ducked out of the way, narrowly avoiding its claws. He dropped his bag to the ground and pulled out his wooden sword, pointing it at the monster.

The memory of the cave incident flashed through Asbel's mind, giving him deja vu. His body involuntarily froze, despite his mind yelling at him to run.

'Crap...not now!'

He desperately tried to move, but his body refused to listen. His legs felt heavy and his hands became damp with sweat.

Before he could react, the monster lunged forward and easily swatted the wooden weapon out of Asbel's hand.

The image of an unconscious Cheria came to mind, causing Asbel's eyes widened in horror. It was happening again.

"No…NO!" Asbel cried.

The creature let out a ferocious roar as it leapt towards Asbel once more with a killing intent in its eyes.

Asbel brought up his arms to shield himself as he awaited impact and squeezed his eyes shut.

'Somebody...anybody...I don't want to die like this!'

Suddenly, a burst of energy went coursing through his body. A brilliant flash of light erupted from Asbel's body, sending the monster flying backwards from the force.

Asbel hesitantly opened his eyes and was shocked to see the monster knocked down. He looked down at his hands bewildered, unsure of what happened. A strange warmth was coursing through his body, giving him strength.

'What did I…?'

The monster got back onto its feet and shook the shock from Asbel's attack away. It let out a fierce growl before it charged once more.

Asbel's hand suddenly started glowing. Before he could figure out what was happening, his body started to move on its own accord.

As the creature leapt towards him, Asbel came forward and struck the beast with his glowing hand. He then struck the monster several more times before he jumped high into the air.

Asbel let out a shout before coming back down and finishing the monster with one final downward slash.

The beast let out one last roar before collapsing in a heap, unmoving. The glowing faded away and everything was quiet. All Asbel could hear was his heavy breathing and his heart rapidly beating in his chest.

After the adrenaline rush had faded, Asbel's legs suddenly felt like jello and he stumbled back a few steps. Though the glowing had faded away, Asbel could still feel the power emanating from his hand.

"What…did I just do?" Asbel muttered to no one in particular.

"So you've finally activated them."

Asbel flinched upon hearing the voice. He whirled around to see who was talking to him but saw no one.

"W-Who said that?" Asbel said cautiously.

"Me!" the voice said again.

Looking around once more, Asbel still did not see who was speaking.

"Wha…show yourself!"

"I'm right…"

Asbel turned around and suddenly found himself face-to-face with a strange animal-like creature, hovering inches away from him. "…here!"

The creature that stood, er floated, in front of him looked like a white mammal-like being. It had two pointed ears that took up most of its head and large green eyes. There were two wing-like attachments on its rear and several brown marks all over its body.

The two stared at one another for a good fifteen seconds before Asbel fell backwards onto his rear from the shock.

"W-What in the world?!" Asbel cried.

"Now that's pretty rude to say to the one who has watched over you all these years." The creature pouted.

Asbel stared at the small animal-like creature in bewilderment.

"H-Huh…?"

**xxxXX To be Continued XXxxx**

Author's note: First chapter, done! Oh, I need suggestions on what Asbel's major should be. Hope you all enjoyed! Please review!


	2. The Enchanted Belle

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the story idea_

**Chapter 2: The Enchanted Belle  
**

"W-What…?" Asbel asked dumbfounded.

The creature scratched its cheek before it let out a sigh.

"Hm, I can see you're at a loss. So I'll try to explain things as clearly as I can. But…"

Its ears twitched and the creature looked behind it before vanishing into thin air.

Asbel's eyes widened even more if possible. Did that creature suddenly disappear?

"People are going to pass by soon. I suggest moving to another location or do you want to have to explain about the dead monster?" the creature voice echoed despite Asbel not being able to see it.

Voices could be heard nearby, causing Asbel to look down at the dead monster in alarm. If people saw him with it, things might get even more complicated than they are now. He would have to explain how he defeated the monster despite not even knowing himself.

Deciding to take the creature's advice, Asbel quickly sprinted past the monster's body and out of the alley.

After a while of running, Asbel eventually found himself at the local park. He went over to sit at a bench in the shade of a large tree. Letting out a weary groan, Asbel set his bag onto the space beside him. Looking at his bag, he realized that he left his sword in the alleyway. If someone found the body of the monster, they would definitely see the sword and would probably link it to Malik's dojo. And if they decided to run a dna test, they would surely find out that Asbel was there during the attack. He took off his hair band and ran a hand through his hair.

"Why is this happening…?"

After the words left Asbel's lips, the creature suddenly reappeared in front of him, causing Asbel to nearly fall off the bench from the shock.

"H-How are you doing that?!"

"Hm?" the creature tilted its head. "Oh, it's a special ability of mine. As an Observer, I am able to become invisible so I can observe without being detected."

Asbel stared blankly at the creature. "An Observer…?"

Catching onto how lost Asbel must be, the creature gave him an apologetic smile.

"Alright, what I'm about to explain to you may sound completely farfetched to you, but try to pay attention."

Asbel nodded. After what happened earlier, he couldn't doubt the possibility of stranger things.

"Let's start with introductions. My name is Mormo, one of the many observers of Maxwell." Mormo said with a bow.

"Uh, oh! My name is Asbel Lhant." Asbel said, bowing as well.

"Yes, I already know who you are." Mormo said.

"Huh?"

The Observer cleared his throat with a brief "ahem."

"I'll get to that later. Anyways, are you familiar with the term, Summon Spirit?"

Asbel lifted an eyebrow. "You mean those monsters who waged war on people in that story?"

An annoyed expression crossed over Mormo's face. Asbel flinched slightly, wondering if he said anything to offend the small creature.

"Okay, first of all, they are not monsters. They are beings who actually relegate the balance of mana in this world. Without them, this world would not be able to function."

"What is mana?"

Mormo let out a sigh. "Have people not been telling you anything? Anyways, mana is the source of all life, which flows through this world. If mana is not relegated correctly, then the world's balance may be ruptured. This would cause the world to run itself into ruin, destroying all life. That's where the Summon Spirits come in."

Before Asbel could say something, Mormo raised a paw. "No more questions until after I'm done explaining."

Asbel frowned but leaned back against the bench.

"Anyways, as you know, Summon Spirits hold a lot of power and were constantly being hunted because of that power. Maxwell, the Summon Spirit who rules over the Summon Spirits who represent the elements such as fire, water, wind and earth, etc, decided it would be best for them to go into hiding. To ensure that the Summon Spirits under Maxwell would be safe, he sealed them inside of people.

"From that point on, the elemental Summon Spirits have been passed down the bloodlines of those humans for generations while granting them amazing powers."

Mormo paused. The information that Asbel was getting was definitely a lot to swallow.

Asbel didn't quite understand it all as it was fairly hard information to believe. Not only that, but the story that he was told about the Summon Spirits seven years ago contradicted what Mormo just told him. It was the Summon Spirits who started the war, right? Were they really responsible for the world's balance?

"Wait, wait, wait, wait," Asbel said. "Where are you even going with this? I don't see what this even has to do with me."

The Observer lifted an eyebrow. "Haven't you been listening?"

"Yes."

"What did I say?" Mormo said as he crossed his arms.

"You said that the Summon Spirits controlled the flow of mana and were hunted because of that power. This Maxwell guy sealed the…um…Ah! Elemental Summon Spirits inside of people, which gives them amazing power."

Upon finishing his last sentence, Asbel's eyes suddenly widened in realization. He looked down at his hand, recalling how it had started glowing and had single-handedly (literally) struck down that monster earlier.

Glancing back up at Mormo with a bewildered gaze, Asbel asked in a trembling voice, "Are you saying that I…"

Mormo nodded. "That's right, Asbel Lhant. You are a host of a Summon Spirit."

* * *

The information was nearly too much to bear. As Asbel wearily trudged his way home to his apartment, he would occasionally look down at his hand.

How could he not have known this? Why had no one told him that there was some spirit living inside of him?

_(Flashback)_

_"There's no way…There's no way there's a Summon Spirit inside of me…" Asbel denied, his hands unconsciously trembling._

_Mormo let out a sigh. "Now, now, don't say that. I've seen quite enough of 'woe is me' from the hosts before you. You may choose to believe it or not, since I cannot force you to accept the truth."_

_"Why…Why did no one tell me?!" Asbel demanded. "Did my parents know about this?"_

_Mormo closed his eyes. "When a host of a Summon Spirit is born, a messenger known as Centurions are sent to inform the parents of the child's condition. Hosts are also born with a marking of some sort somewhere on their bodies, though it is only visible when they use their powers. So yes, your parents do know about what is inside of you."_

_"Then…why didn't they tell me?"_

_The Observer paused._

_ "…I can't tell you that."_

_(End of Flashback)_

'Don't I have a right to know? Why did they hide it from me for this long?' Asbel wondered.

Mormo had disappeared when more people started coming into the park, but told him that he would speak with him again. Asbel was grateful, as he needed some time alone to think about everything.

Though there was a possibility that Mormo was lying to him.

However, Mormo had explained to him that Observers were created to watch the progress of the hosts. So the little Observer had been assigned to keep an eye on him, which is how he knew him.

'What can I believe…?' Asbel wondered.

While Asbel was lost in his thoughts, he failed to watch where he was going and accidentally knocked into someone.

The person let out a yelp of surprise before they stumbled back a few steps.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going-" Asbel paused when he looked at the person he bumped into.

"No, no, I'm partly to blame. I got distracted." said the young woman who Asbel bumped into.

The girl looked to be around the same age as Asbel with bright, emerald eyes. She had short pink hair that was shorter in the back while longer in the front with a pair of silver clips on the left side of her bangs.

Asbel felt his heartbeat suddenly quicken and a strange warmth flow through his body at the sight of the young woman. He felt his face flush, much to his confusion. It took nearly all of his willpower to look away and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"U-Um…"

The girl looked at him curiously before giving him a warm smile. She stuck out her hand to him in greeting.

"My name is Estellise, but you can call me Estelle if you want. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"E-Estellise, huh? Oh, sorry! I'm Asbel, nice to meet you too," Asbel stammered before taking her hand into his and shook it.

He felt her flinch and tense slightly under his grip, much to his confusion. Was he squeezing too hard?

However, though her hand was dainty in his, she held a firm grip. Asbel also noticed that it was also calloused, similar to his hands, which he didn't expect. She looked more like a noble woman who spent most of her time reading.

His face burned brighter when he felt the warmth from her hand. Why did he feel so nervous around her? He refused to believe that this was some kind of "love at first sight" scenario.

"Erm, are you new here? I don't think I've seen you around before." Asbel said, desperately trying to reduce the heat from his cheeks as he pulled his hand away.

Estelle nodded. "I had just moved here not too long ago. So I was just walking around to get to know the area better."

"Oh? Where are you from?"

"I used to live in Zaphias in Ilyccia."

From what Asbel knew, Zaphias was the capitol of the country, Ilyccia, which was located on the Terca Lumireis continent to the northwest of Tethe'alla. The country was very advanced in their technology, having put the majority of their budget into researchers. He had visited Ilyccia before during his travels but had never traveled to the capitol.

"What brings you to Altamira?" Asbel asked.

"I'm actually here to look at the university since I received a scholarship to attend the school. The university isn't open for tours until later this month, so I don't really have much to do until then." Estelle responded.

"Well, in that case, why don't I show you around sometime," Asbel said, his initial nervousness gone. Though the warmth in his chest was still there. "I've lived here for only a couple of years, but I know pretty much all that goes around here."

Estelle's eyes lit up in excitement. "Really? That would be wonderful, thank you so much!"

"No problem. Are you free tomorrow afternoon? I could take you on a tour after I'm done with classes at twelve." Asbel offered.

"Sounds good," Estelle smiled. "I'm looking forward to it. How about we meet by that big tree in the middle of the park. I passed by there earlier this morning while running errands."

Mormo's talk suddenly came to mind, causing Asbel to tense. However, he quickly pushed the thought to a far corner of his mind and gave Estelle a smile.

"I'll meet you there at 12:30."

* * *

Once Asbel finally made it back to the apartment, he dropped his bag to the floor and collapsed onto the couch.

"This day can't get any weirder…" Asbel muttered to himself.

However, after his little meeting with Estelle he couldn't peg this day the worst day of his life.

There was something about her that Asbel felt drawn to. He couldn't explain it. When she was near, an unexplainable warmth would spread throughout his chest, which felt comforting.

Around her, Asbel felt as if he could be at ease. Those thoughts from earlier also seemed to drift away when he met her.

He glanced over at the clock to see that it was almost six. How long had he been out?

It was almost dinner and Guy wouldn't be back for another hour. Thinking of dinner caused Asbel's stomach to suddenly let out a low, hungry growl. Heaving a sigh, Asbel got up and walked into the kitchen.

"Guess I can try making curry tonight."

* * *

Guy let out an annoyed groan as he tried to scrub off the large pieces of charcoal from the pan in the sink.

"You know, I'd like to come home without your kitchen disasters that nearly cause this place to be burned down to the ground."

Asbel let out a nervous chuckle as he opened up all the windows. "I was hungry."

"Next time, wait for me so we can avoid these incidents." Guy sighed.

Asbel was a notoriously bad cook considering he never really learned how to cook while at home and while traveling. Whatever he decides to cook is always somehow burned to a crisp. He had even found a way to burn salad, which Guy would never understand how. The only thing he was decent at preparing was instant noodles and ramen, another thing that Guy didn't understand.

If it weren't for him, Guy was pretty sure that Asbel would starve or die from the consumption of too many processed foods.

"I don't think this pan can be saved," Guy said sadly before letting out a sigh. "I really don't understand how you are capable of such destruction in the kitchen."

"Sorry, I'll buy you a new one sometime this week," Asbel said. "And I also need to get a replacement sword as well…"

"Oh yeah, what happened to your sword anyway?"

"Ah…" Asbel paused, wracking his brain for an excuse. "I guess…I kinda…got distracted…"

Guy lifted an eyebrow curiously. "Distracted? By what?"

Asbel hesitated, causing Guy to grow suspicious. Was he hiding something?

"I…met someone while walking back to the apartment. We talked for a bit and I might have accidentally left it at the place we were talking."

"Oh?" Guy said, suddenly interested. "Who's this someone you met?"

"Her name is Estellise," The name of the young woman was enough to bring a hint of redness to Asbel's cheeks, much to his confusion. "I accidentally ran into her while walking through town."

Guy looked at him with surprise evident all over his face. "You…got distracted…by a girl?"

"I mean…I guess…Erm…"

"Asbel…got distracted by a girl…?" Guy repeated in a daze. He stood there stunned for a long moment, causing Asbel to grow slightly concerned.

"Are you all right?"

Asbel flinched when Guy looked at him through narrowed eyes and his mouth a firm line.

"Who are you and what have you done to Asbel?" Guy said in a flat tone.

"What are you talking about?" Asbel asked.

The one thing that Guy was completely certain about was Asbel's complete obliviousness to things concerning love or attraction. During their travels, Guy noticed that there were several girls who had taken an interest in the redhead. However, any comment or flirtations went completely over Asbel's head. Guy even tried explaining it to him, but he still didn't get it.

So to find out that Asbel was distracted by a pretty girl was a revelation.

"Anyways, I agreed to show her around town tomorrow since she's new to the area." Asbel replied.

If Malik knew about this, he'd be so proud.

"Okay, you can't be Asbel. The real Asbel wouldn't have had the common sense to ask a pretty girl out on a date." Guy said suspiciously.

Asbel's face immediately flushed beet red. "W-What? It's not a date!"

"Really?" Guy lifted an eyebrow curiously. "A date is when two people get together to do an activity together, which is clearly what you and this young lady are doing."

"I just met her!"

Guy let out a sigh and shrugged. "Well, if that's the case than I wish you the best of luck. You're going to need it."

* * *

The next day, Asbel arrived early at the place he and Estelle had agreed to meet up. He had been excited for this little meet up (refusing to call it a date) that he could hardly focus on his lessons. His professor gave him a twenty-minute lecture afterwards because of it. Asbel didn't understand why it was so hard to concentrate when Estelle came to mind.

He looked up at the giant tree, surprised by how tall it was compared to the other trees in the park. It reminded him a little of the tree he had played under with his friends in Luin.

A small frown formed on his face and Asbel quickly shook his head, shoving those thoughts out of his mind.

However, other thoughts he had pushed aside soon took their place.

He was a host of a Summon Spirit. Though he wondered how much of that could be true.

If he really was a host of a Summon Spirit, what did that make him? He looked down at his hand again. Normal people don't have strange powers like him. Hell, he didn't even know he had these powers until recently.

The more he thought about it however, the more certain things seemed to make sense.

He recalled hearing a strange voice from time-to-time during his childhood. However, he had forgotten about it since he had not heard it since the incident. The strange dreams had also stopped. However, those dreams were replaced by the nightmares of the incident.

Before he could brood over the memory any longer, a familiar warmth formed in his chest, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Asbel!"

Upon hearing his name, Asbel glanced over to see Estelle hurrying over to him. Pushing his questions aside, Asbel smiled and waved.

"Did you wait long?" Estelle asked.

Asbel shook his head. "I actually got here a little earlier than planned, so it's fine."

"So, where to first?"

**xxxXX To be Continued XXxxx**


	3. The Slayer and The Healer

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the story idea_

**Chapter 3: The Slayer and The Healer  
**

Standing on top of a tall building, the red-eyed boy fixed his gaze on another building a bit farther off. He glared off into the distance as his hands clenched into tight fists.

"It's time," He muttered to himself.

He held out his hand in front of him and snapped his fingers. Several screeches and roars sounded in the distance, causing the boy to grin.

"Let's see how you handle things from this point on."

* * *

The whole day was spent with Asbel showing Estelle the different parts of the town while chatting about different things.

Asbel learned that Estelle had been home schooled for nearly all of her life and had grown up learning about the world from books. He found it amazing how knowledgeable she was from just reading.

Every place they visited, Estelle's eyes would be filled with interest. Occasionally, Asbel would sneak a peek at her and then blush whenever he was caught.

"So what was that wooden sword you were carrying for? Are you some sort of traveling warrior?" Estelle asked, her eyes shining with awe.

Asbel chuckled. "No, no, I just train at a local sword-fighting dojo. It gives me something fun to do when I'm not busy. When I bumped into you the other day, I was just on my way home."

"You have to show me your skills sometime." Estelle said with a cheerful smile.

"Sure, if you want to," Asbel agreed. "Though I don't know if a girl like you would be interested in that kind of thing."

The young woman giggled. "You'd be surprised."

"Huh…"

As the two continued to chat, they failed to notice a person wearing headphones they passed suddenly stop. He whirled around and stared at them, his eyes wide with surprise.

A frown formed across his mouth before he stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued down the busy streets.

"Well isn't that just perfect?" he muttered bitterly.

He paused for a moment when a swift and sudden movement caught his eye.

"Hm?"

* * *

The two stopped at a nearby café in the shopping center where they decided to take a break from walking. After ordering a couple drinks, Estelle asked Asbel what he does in Altamira.

Asbel talked about how he's finishing up his high school education through tutors. He also told her about his travels around the world for five years.

"That's amazing," Estelle said. "I can only imagine traveling like that. This is the first time I've ever been outside of my home country."

"Maybe one day you'll be able to." Asbel said in a hopeful voice.

Estelle smiled hopefully as their drinks were served. He was surprised how much he and Estelle had in common. Not only did she find sword training interesting but she also had a desire to travel just as he did with he was a kid.

"Are you here alone or did your parents move with you?" Asbel asked after taking a quick sip of his coffee.

Estelle paused, a somber expression crossing over her face as she stared into her drink. However, before Asbel could comment on it, she looked up at him and gave him a cheerful smile.

"I actually live with my nanny and butler. My parents are always really busy with their jobs and I hardly ever get to see them."

"Oh…"

"I do get to see them sometimes during the holidays though, so it's all right." Estelle said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Asbel looked away, unable to say anything that could be an encouragement. He hadn't seen nor heard from his own parents for seven years.

"Sorry for bringing up a sore subject."

Estelle shook her head. "It's not your fault, just complicated."

Before Asbel could respond, a sudden scream interrupted.

Both Asbel and Estelle immediately looked up to see several people run past the café in a panic.

"What's going on?" Estelle wondered.

Asbel rushed out the door of the café and gasped in shock at the sight before him.

Several creatures with monkey-like bodies and large green heads were roaming the streets and in the skies were large falcon-like monsters.

The monkey monsters were destroying everything in sight, cars, lampposts, and anything that seemed to be in their way. While the monkeys caused destruction on the ground, the winged beats terrorized the skies. They wreaked havoc on the large buildings by destroying windows and toppling trees.

"What…what is going on?" Asbel muttered in horror.

The memory of the wolf-like monster came to mind and Asbel wondered if these attacks were connected somehow.

When Estelle saw what was going on, the young woman let out a gasp and cupped a hand over her mouth. "What are those things?"

Sirens blared as police cars sped into the scene, blocking the monsters' route. Policemen and women jumped out of the cars and quickly got out their pistols.

"Get the civilians to safety!" the commanding officer barked.

"W-What are these things?!" one of the officers cried.

"It doesn't matter what they are, they are not going to last much longer!"

Shots were fired at the oncoming monsters as the police did their best to deter them away from the civilians.

At first, the police were doing well fending off the monsters. However when the bird-like monsters started retaliating, the police force started to struggle. The winged monsters were too fast and were able to dodge most of the bullets. While they were distracted, the other monsters attacked, toppling the squad cars and breaking down their roadblock.

A crowd of terrified people came rushing through, sweeping Asbel and Estelle along as well.

"AHH!"

Asbel whirled around to see a small child had tripped and fallen behind the crowd with the monsters closing in on them.

Before Asbel could react, Estelle started pushing her way through the crowd of frightened people and towards the child.

"Hey, wait!" Asbel called.

His call fell deaf to Estelle's ears as she determinedly made her way over to the fallen child.

Asbel desperately tried to follow but found it difficult to move against the flow of people.

Once Estelle made it to them, she knelt down and helped the child onto their knees.

"It'll be all right," Estelle reassured. "Let's hurry and head over to someplace safe."

"M-My foot…I can't move it." the kid whimpered.

"Don't worry. Close your eyes for a moment." Estelle said as she placed her hands on the child's ankle.

One of the winged monsters let out a fearsome screech before it dived towards them.

"Look out!" Asbel cried just as he made it out of the crowd.

The little kid screamed in horror as Estelle wrapped her arms around them, using her own body as a shield.

Asbel quickly jumped in front of Estelle and the kid and lifted his arms above his head to shield himself.

The falcon-like monster struck him on the hand, tearing through the flesh with its talons.

Asbel let out a cry before he gripped his hand in pain. He gritted his teeth and glared over at the monster.

"Asbel!" Estelle cried.

"Don't worry about me, just get the kid out of here!" Asbel shouted as he stood in front of her protectively. "I'll lure most of them away from the shopping center as best I can!"

"But I can help!"

Asbel shook his head. He refused to let someone get hurt because of him again. "Just go!"

Estelle was hesitant at first but nodded. She quickly helped the child to their feet and ushered them over to the side.

Thinking fast, Asbel quickly picked up a small piece of rubble and threw it at one of the monsters. The object successfully hit one of the falcon monsters in the head, catching its attention.

"Hey! Why not pick on someone your own size!" Asbel shouted as he threw another piece of rubble at the monster again.

This caught some of the other monsters' attentions and slowly started closing in on Asbel.

Without a second though, Asbel ran off, away from the crowds.

"Kid, what the hell are you doing?! Stop!" one of the officers shouted.

However, Asbel ignored him and continued running with the monsters right on his tail.

Before the officer could follow, he was suddenly tackled by one of the monkey creatures.

"Gah!" The officer cried as he struggled to get out of the monster's grasp.

Suddenly, a thin sword suddenly pierced right through the monster's skull. The monster's strength disappeared in an instant as it fell to the ground like a puppet whose strings were just cut.

The officer stumbled backwards as he panted heavily. He glanced up and was surprised to see a young man wearing headphones.

The boy held a rapier in one hand and a long dagger in the other, something that people normally do not walk around with.

The young man reached up and removed the headphones from his ears and let it dangle from his neck.

"Pay more attention to your surroundings. You may not get a second chance." the boy responded.

The officer nodded numbly, utterly shocked at what was happening.

The boy let out a "tch" before he glanced over at the remaining monsters. His gaze narrowed as he pointed his rapier at the remaining monsters.

"Pathetic." he muttered under his breath.

* * *

Asbel quickly ducked out of the way of one of the winged creature's attacks as he quickly made his way to the beach.

If he could reach that area, he could make sure that the monsters were away from the more populated areas of the city.

He jumped over the railing that separated the streets from the beach with the monsters close behind.

One of the walking monsters wound up and shot its arm out at Asbel, stretching its long, lanky arm and grabbed hold of his heel.

Asbel let out a gasp before he tripped and crashed to the hot sand. He pushed himself off the ground and found himself completely surrounded.

Asbel's eyes flicked from one monster to the other, desperately trying to figure a way out of this. Things weren't looking good especially since he didn't even have anything to defend himself with. Not to mention that he couldn't move as well on the sand than on a hard surface.

With a snarl, the monsters lunged at him.

He swore under his breath as he closed his eyes, bracing for impact.

_"Still as foolish as ever I see."_

Asbel's eyes immediately shot open upon hearing the voice.

A burst of energy suddenly shot through his body and his hand started to glow again. His body started to move on its own accord and he shot forward.

He dodged the two monkey-like monsters and lunged towards one of the falcon creatures. Before the monster could react, Asbel struck it down with a powerful downward swing of his arm.

Estelle rushed over to the scene but paused when she saw Asbel take down another falcon with his bare hand.

"Amazing…"

'It's happening again…' Asbel said to himself as he gazed down at his glowing hand. 'That voice was the same one I heard seven years ago too.'

Could it be the Summon Spirit that was supposedly inside of him?

Snapping out of his thoughts, Asbel quickly dodged out of the way of one of the monkey monsters.

Despite being able to take down a couple monsters without too much difficulty, he doubted he would be able to take down the small hoard that had followed him. He was outnumbered and could easily be struck down if he got too distracted by one opponent.

While the monsters started to close in on him, everything started happening in slow motion as Asbel suddenly felt a familiar feeling wash over him.

Powerful feelings of bitterness and resentment started to bubble up within him, causing the young man to flinch. Asbel's eyes widened, recognizing the sensation. The last time he felt this way was seven years ago when a certain someone came within a few yards of him.

Before anyone could react, several black spikes suddenly shot up from the ground, cutting straight through several of the monsters as if they were nothing.

"Those spikes…" Estelle muttered to herself thoughtfully. "Can it be…?"

A moment later, the spikes retracted seemingly back into the ground, allowing the monsters to fall lifelessly to the ground.

While the remaining monsters were distracted by the sudden attack, Asbel lunged forward and dealt the finishing blow to the rest.

After striking down the final monster of the hoard, Asbel gazed down at the lifeless bodies.

So many questions were racing through his mind. Where did these things come from? Why were they attacking? Was it a coincidence that they were now just starting to appear after he recently found out about this strange power inside of him? What exactly is inside of him?

'What's happening…?'

Estelle rushed over to his side, concern radiating from her emerald eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Huh?" Asbel said, snapping out of his thoughts and mildly surprised to see Estelle there.

"Oh, you're hurt." Estelle said, noticing the gash on the back of his hand where one of the monsters struck him.

"Nothing to worry about, it's just a scratch."

Estelle didn't look convinced. She reached out and took hold of his hand, causing Asbel's cheeks to redden considerably. She glanced over the wound and shook her head.

"It's not too deep, but it can still get infected," Estelle said. "Don't worry though, I can fix it up."

"Oh, are you a doctor as well?" Asbel asked.

The young woman shook her head. "Not exactly. But we might want to go somewhere private."

"Huh, why?"

She didn't answer as she lead him to a deserted area behind the bathroom stalls of the beach.

"Give me your hand."

"Uh…" Asbel said in mild confusion but put out his hand like she asked.

Estelle took hold of his hand in both of hers and closed her eyes.

"What are you…?"

Before he could get an answer, however, Estelle's hands started glowing.

Asbel looked up at Estelle in shock as a warm feeling resonated from his hand. Out of impulse, Asbel pulled back his hand and stumbled a few steps back.

He glanced down at his hand and was shocked to find that the scratch was gone and completely healed.

"Is something wrong? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Estelle asked in alarm.

"What…what did you just do?" Asbel stammered in bewilderment. The light that shone from her hands looked like the one he used just minutes ago.

"Huh?"

"That light…what was that?"

Estelle looked at him curiously. However, before she could respond, a voice cut in.

"Looks like you're the same ignorant fool from seven years ago."

Asbel and Estelle whirled around to see Leon Magnus. The raven-haired boy walked over to them and stopped several feet away from them, his hands in his pockets as he stared at them coldly.

He still had the exact same hairstyle he did when he was a kid if not a bit longer. There was also a pair of headphones dangling around his neck.

To say that Asbel was shocked to see him was an understatement. When Asbel had moved to Tethe'alla, Van had told him that he had sent Leon on a job somewhere. Initially, Asbel had thought that Van did it to keep them separated from what happened when they were kids. However, Van assured him that he was having Leon attend some important matters as an official employee of World Corp. He hadn't expected him to show up so suddenly. Upon closer inspection, Asbel realized that the boy's expression was slightly weary.

Before he could ask what was wrong, Asbel suddenly realized that despite Leon being only a few feet away from him, the bitter feelings he got around him had disappeared. When had those feelings vanished? He had felt them but a moment ago when he was fighting the monsters. What was going on?

"I was right! It was you back there, wasn't it?" Estelle said cheerfully.

Upon locking eyes with the woman, Leon's gaze narrowed.

Asbel looked from Leon to Estelle in confusion. Though he was surprised that they know each other, he was more curious as to what Estelle was referring to. Leon was there when he was fighting the monsters?

Thinking back, Asbel remembered the strange black spikes that suddenly came from the ground.

'Then…' Asbel thought as he glanced back over at Leon and Estelle.

The light from Estelle's hands…The black spikes…

_"The elemental Summon Spirits have been passed down the bloodlines of those humans for generations while granting them amazing powers."_

Mormo's words from yesterday echoed in his mind. Everything suddenly came together and Asbel took a few steps back from the revelation.

They were hosts.

* * *

The city was in an uproar. After the monster attack, police had set up roadblocks in all the major sections of the city while investigators examined the monsters' body.

Questions arose as to what the creatures were and where did they come from. People also wondered who had even defeated them. There were reports of a young man seemingly in his teens had helped the officers combat the monsters using swords. However he had disappeared when the officers started getting a handle on the situation.

Near the beach resort, there had been a couple witnesses who had seen someone using strange powers combating a group of monsters. However, they could not see the person's face nor could give a description as the person was covered in a strange light.

A child had also claimed that a nice young lady had magically healed their sprained ankle.

"Hm…"

Looking down at the city, the boy wearing a black scarf sat on top of one of the large buildings. He narrowed his eyes in discontent. The sun was starting to set as the boy gripped the handle of a wooden sword.

"Looks as if they're not being so quiet anymore...that makes things interesting," he said in a low voice before striking the concrete roof with the sword's tip.

"I underestimated their abilities...my mistake. But next time they won't be so lucky."

With that, the boy stood up and disappeared into the shadows with the sword slung over his shoulder.

**xxxXX To be Continued XXxxx**

Author's Note: I want to thank the people who have taken the time our of their days to read this, even if you don't review, I'm glad people are still reading it. X3 Beginnings are always hard for me so it may take a while before the real plot starts moving forward. If anyone has suggestions on how to make this fic better, don't be afraid to tell me!


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